Car-coupling



(No Model.)

s. J. MBEKER, .UAR GOUPLING.

Patented May'vZ, 1896.

I l I Nrrnn STATES ATENT rrrcn..

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION Aforming part of Lenersratent No. 560,810, dated May 26, 1896.

Application filed March 30, 1895.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. Mnnxnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark,`Essex county, and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following description, taken in connection with the drawings herewith accompanying, isa specification.

My present invention relates more particularly to a device or means for automatically throwing the hook or knuckle to an open or extended position after being released by its locking pin or device, and has for its objects, first, to provide a spring knuckle-opening attachment of such construction and arrangement as to be capable of being readily slipped or placed in operative connection with a coupler without the necessity of further adjustment or arrangement of the parts forming the attachment to secure such connection; second, to provide for the adjustment of the tension of the spring in its action upon the knuckle, and, third, to removably support the spring or working part of the attachment within an inclosed seat or pocket located wholly within the face-line of the under side of the draw-head, whereby it may be protected from exposure to injury or other accident. These objects I secure by means of the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in detail, and pointed out in the claims.` Y V Referring to the accompanyingl drawings, Figure l represents a side view of the drawhead of a coupler, with a portion thereof broken away, showin g my improved knuckleopening device or attachment. Fig. 2 represents a bottom view of the saine. Fig. 3 represents a plan View of the knuckle-opening attachment detached from the coupler, and Fig. i a bottom view of the same. Fig. 5 represents a detail view, partly in section, showing the connection and relative positions of the knuckle pivot-pin ,the draw-head, and the knuckle-opening attachment.

To explain in detail, a represents the drawt head 5 l), the hook 0r knuckle; b', the knuckle pivot-pin, which, according to my invention,

is made fast with the knuckle to be movable therewith, and c my improved knuckle-opening attachment. This attachment consists serai No. 543,842. on modem of a supporting plate or disk c', having a central opening c2 therein to allow the same to be slipped or placed on the lower end of the pivot-piu b', on which it is adapted to be rigidly secured to be movable therewith, and is provided with a fiat coiled spring d on its up per surface, which is connected atits inner end therewith, and at its opposite end is adapted to extend and be held in a counterpart groove or opening a in the draw-head a to form connection with the latter, as shown in Fig. 2. The action of the spring, being thus connected at its opposite ends with the draw-head and with the plate c when the attachment is in position on the coupler, tends to automatically throw the knuckle to an open or extended position after being released by its locking device, as will be understood.

The draw-head, as shown, is provided with a shallow pocket or recess d2 in its under side,

which is adapted to receive the spring CZ wholly i within the same, and the spring-supporting plate or disk t" is adapted to be supported or secured on the pivot-pin b in a position about iiush with the under face of the draw-head and form a cap or cover to inclose the said pocket a2 and protect the inclosed spring` d,

The plate or disk c is provided with a rim or collar cs on its under side having oppositely-located transverse openings c4 therein, through which the cotter-pin f, which passes through the pivot-pin b', is adapted to extend, whereby the said plate may be rigidly and detachably secured on the latter. The

rim or collar c3 is constructed with two sets l adj ust the tension of the spring (l, and is also j Y provided with ribs or projections c5 on its outer surface adapted to serve as a bearing or means to enable said rim or collar to be engaged by a wrench or other suitable devicewhereby the plate c may be held or adv justed against the tension of the spring CZ when the attachment is being connected with or adjusted on the supporting-pin l2', The said plate or disk o' is also provided on its IOO upper surface with two vertically-arranged flanges c5, located thereon adjacent to the central opening therein and at opposite sides of the same, which are adapted in part for the purpose of retaining the spring in its proper position on its supporting-plate, and also for the purpose of securing connection between the spring and the said plate, which connection is secured by the innerend of the spring being formed with an arm for engaging with the end or vertical edge of one of said flanges, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. By

reason of such detachable connection between v the spring and its engaging flanges and the plurality in number of the latter the tension of the spring may also be regulated at this point by changing the point of connection of the spring from one flange to another, as will be readily understood.

The attachment consisting of the spring and its supporting-plate constructed and arranged substantially as described, when not in connection with a coupler, is adapted to be held with its parts in their assembled operative position, whereby the attachment may be readily slipped on the end of the pivot-pin and be placed in operative connection with the coupler by means of a coupling rod or device e, which is removably connected at one end with the plate c by passing through one of the openings c4 therein and at its opposite end is removably connected with the outer end of the spring d within an opening formed by a loop d at the end of the same, as shown,

which said loop also forms an enlarged head to insure a more positive connection of the spring with the draw-head, as shown in Fig.

2. rlhe spring d is held by said coupling device with a proper degree of working tension thereon andwith its outer end in proper position for ready entry or insert-ion into its counterpart groove in the drawhead, as shown. The attachment when thus arranged may be readily slipped in operative connection with the coupler and the cotter-pin be passed through one of the openings c4 and into the pivot-pin to make proper connection between the attachment and the pivot-pin, at which time the coupling device e may be readily removed from its connection with the attachment and the lat-ter be left free to act, as will be readily understood. Y

The combination, with the attachment, of the coupling device c, whereby said attachments may be handled, commercially, separate from the coupler and in form for ready connection with the latter, I claim as one of the important and essential features of my invention.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head havinga pocket or recess in its under side, of the swinging hook or knuckle having a connecting arm or pin projecting through said pocket provided with a plate or disk removably secured thereon in a position about flush with the under surface of the draw-head, whereby an inclosed accessible pocket isY formed within the surface-line of the draw-head, the said plate being provided with a iiange or projection on its upper surface, and a coiled springremovablysupported within said pocket in the draw-head and on its covering-plate, having connection at its opposite ends with the said flange or projection and with the draw-head respectively, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw head and the swinging hook or knuckle having a connecting arm or pin, of a plate or disk supported on said pin, provided with a flange or projection on its upper surface, and a coiled spring supported on said plate having one end connected with the flange or projection thereon, and its opposite end connected with the draw-head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw head and the swinging hook or knuckle having a connecting arm or pin, of a plate or disk supported on said pin, provided with flanges or projections on its upper surface, and a flat coiled spring supported on said plate having one end constructed for detachable and adjustable connection with the flanges or projections thereon, and its opposite end connected with the draw-head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. Y

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw head and the swinging hook or knuckle having a connecting arm or pin, of a plate supported on said arm, provided with a flange or collar on its under side having an opening therein whereby the plate may be removably secured on its supporting-arm by a pin or its equivalent, and a flat coiled spring supported on said plate having one end connected therewith, and its opposite end connected with the draw-head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw -head and the swinging hook or knuckle having a connecting arm or pin, of a plate supported on said arm, provided with a flange or collar on its under side having a series of oppositely-located openings therein whereby the plate may be removably and adjustably secured on its supporting-arm by a pin or its equivalent, and a coiled spring supported on said plate with one end connected therewith and its opposite end connected with the draw-head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. A knuckle-opening attachment for carcouplers, consisting of a plate or disk having means for detachable connection with an arm or pin of the coupler-knuckle, and with means for supporting and retaining a coiled spring IOO tog

IIO

thereon, a coiled spring supported upon said Y with the said plate or disk, substantially as Vits outer surface, and a. coiled spring sup- 1c described and for the purpose set forth. ported on said plate having one end connected 7 In a cur-coupler, the combination With therewith,and its opposite endconnected with the draw head and the swinging hook or the draw-head, substantially as described and 5 knuckle having a. connecting arm or pin, of a for the purpose set forth.

plate supported onv said arm constructed for STEPHEN J. MEEKER. detachable and adjustable connection there- Witnesses: With and provided with a ange or collar on CHAS. F." DANE,

its under side having ribs or projections on A. L. HAYES. 

